The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-11-19

recollection of former feasts, when no
element of perfection was lacking.
She had been a famous cook, and
Thanksgiving had always been spec
ial occasion, when all the children
gathered around the home board; but
this tiny dwelling would not afford
standing room even for quarter of
the family, so rapidly had the chill
dren's children and grandchildren in
creased.
Sarah, faint right, an 1 can't help
thinkin' ont night and day." said hon
est John Hammond, bringing his first
down with a resounding whack upon
the table.
"Bless me, John! how you scared
me-" said Sarah the wife, with a
nervous start. "What isn't right?"
"Why, that father and mother sh'd
be Twin on the town in their old age;
it's a shame, an it just haunts me,
that's all.
"No, it's not right, but what can we
do, John? You have given and done
for them till it can't be your duty to
do more. If you were only stronger
now, and better able to work, but as it
is it is hard matter to make both
ends meet" And Sarah anxiously
scanned the small pair of trousers she
was trying to mend, and sighed. as she
thought of the new pair that must in
evitaBly come, though from what
source she could not see at present.
Thanksgiving comm and 1 don't
see for my part how 'Melia an julie
an Harrison can give thanks for their
own blessings when they let father an
mother eat of town charity. The cost
of one of 'Melia's darter's dresses
would keep the old folks nigh year
with their simple wants. Pears to me
l can't stan it."
"But how can we help it, John?"
and the hand which held the needle
was poised over the worn buttonhole,
as Sarah meditated with knitted brows
the perpleXing question, more perplex-
ing indeed than that of new trousers.
Mamma, it was child's voice.
that of Ruth, the thoughtful little bur-
den bearer for the family, to whom her
mother turned for advice and consola-
ton in her many perpleXities as natur-
ally as to Il grown person. IF each
one Of grandma's children, and grand
children, could give dollar u year,
wouldn't it be almost enough to keep
them?"
"Why yes, child. I do believe it
would" replied the mother, ''if each
one would do their share, there would
be no need of this disgrace, but the
trouble seems to be that each waits for
the other to do something, and they
are all getting callous together, by the
means"
Don't you believe mamma we could
coax them to have birthday box in
each one of their families, and every
time there is a birthday, drop in dol
lar for grandma and grandpa?" con-
tinued Ruth, her dear thoughtful little
face lifted eagerly to the mothers,
''and perhaps mamma, if you We're to
90 around to them all, and coax lit
tie, you could get them to make them
Thanksgiving donation, like we do
the minister's folks sometimes?" 81
don't know, child, I'm sure" re-
piled the mother, thoughtfully, lit
seems as if natural affection an pride
ought to be enough, without any coax
in, but then"
"Out of the mouth o babes an
sucklin's wife," said the husband,
significantly, cts worth tryin'."
But how could we do our share, "
said Sarah, still perpleXed! "Our fam
lily is the largest, and we are the poor
est of them all; yet couldn't ask
them to do what couldn't do myself."
1--WE older children could earn our
money some way" replied Ruth, COM
ing TO the rescue, with her wise little
brain on the alert for a remedy. Il